SPED 413: 6 HOUR OBSERVATION Instructional “Look For” Sheet
FALL 2016
FOCUS: Learner Centered Environment, Strategy Instruction and Technology Integration (Instructional and Assistive)
FOCUS AREA GUIDING TEACHING AND LEARNING
QUESTIONS FRAMEWORK CONNECTION
Space How does the Domain II – Classroom
physical space Environment
reflect student  Objectives are posted in
input and student friendly language.
facilitate a  Displayed student work is
learner-centered current and shows student
environment? choice.
 Visual resources support
students’ independent
thinking and learning.
 Anchor charts show student
involvement in production
and creation.
 Furniture is arranged to
support student needs and
instructional outcomes.
 Students are provided a
choice of space options for
independent and/or group
work.
 Resources and materials
organized and available based
on student needs.
EVIDENCE
 Objectives were displayed on a PowerPoint that was
in the center of the front of the room.
 The objective was broken down and easy for the
students to copy down and comprehend.
 On the back wall, there was a “Brag Board!”
showcasing the students’ math work.
 Throughout the room there were posters that included
sayings and directions for students to follow.
 Some of the posters had sentence starters to help
student ask questions or express their understanding
of concepts.
 There were six tables evenly spaced throughout the
room which allowed about five students to sit at.
Then there were three individual desks spread out the
room as well.
 Each student’s chair had a cloth pocket hanging from
the back that allowed them to place their supplies (not
being used) in.
 During individual work students were allowed to sit
on mats or a large rug in the corner of the room.
Students also were allowed to sit on the floor or on a
small counter and table to complete their work.
 In the back of the classroom there was horseshoe
shaped table that allowed Ms. Thompson to work
with small groups at one time. The table was situated
to allow Ms. Thompson to see the entire class while
working with the small groups.
 All of the areas in the classroom including supplies
were labeled and viable throughout the room.
 The classroom was full of color and comfort.
 There is a desk near the back that is a calm down
station. The desk has charts and direction to help the
 student breathe and relax.

Classroom How does the Domain II – Classroom  Every bin or area that has supplies is labeled clearly
Procedures teacher manage Environment and is easy to identify.
and Student student behavior  How are materials and  The supplies are organized by content and by what
Behavior and implement supplies organized? time they will be using them.
effective  How do students transition  In the morning, Ms. Thompson got bins that included
classroom from activity to activity? the supplies needed ready for a game activity and for
procedures?  How are para-professionals a supply bin that sits on each table. The bins on the
being used? tables were labeled with the student’s name who was
 Are their varying that table’s leader.
instructional groups? How  As students begin to transition from one activity to
are these formed? the next Ms. Thompson has them first put away all
 What strategy/methods are supplies/materials they are not using and then has
used for supporting positive them get the supplies/materials needed out.
student behavior?
 If the students are moving to other seats or areas of
 How does the teacher
the classroom she has the students first be quiet and
respond to behavior
then allows them to get up.
concerns?
 When moving from content to continue Ms.
Thompson has the students log into their BCPS
account on their laptops and they open their contents
folder. This way they easily get into gear for the
transition.
 Ms. Thompson asks her paraprofessional to restate
direction and reiterate things that the students did the
day before.
 The paraprofessional helps to hand out supplies and
check students work.
 The paraprofessional made copies of a homework
worksheet for the students.
 The paraprofessional helped student individually
while Ms. Thompson presented the lesson to the rest
of the class.
 In the math class Ms. Thompson uses two
curriculums for the lower and advanced students. The
advanced group is then broken down into two groups
that include those struggling and those who seem to
be doing well. The advanced students have both a
 fifth and sixth grade textbook whereas the lower level
students only have the fifth-grade textbook.
 When the students are behaving properly Ms.
Thompson gives them a verbal praise for things like
putting away or gathering the correct materials.
 IF they complete their work successfully or to their
best ability she praises them by saying they have
“fifth grade work”.
 She also uses the students who are correctly behaving
as examples for the class.
 When the students are misbehaving Ms. Thompson
gives visual as well as verbal reminders for what
student should be doing.
 When students seem to be off task or not
concentrating she says “eye on me” to gain their
attention and then she repeats her directions or gives
new direction to the students.
 If an individual student is not on task or misbehaving
she will say their name while giving directions to get
their attention and get their behavior to stop. This
way she is not fully interrupting her lesson to
reprimand a student
 When the whole class is talkative or seems off task
she says “If you can hear me clap once, clap,
twice…” to rein them in.
 Gives lunch detention to the student who misbehave
and who don’t have their homework frequently.
 When students aren’t participating, she lets the
student know she will be calling home and writes
herself a note to follow through.
 Ms. Thompson will move a student to an individual
desk if they are having difficulty concentrating.

Teacher What teacher Domain I – Preparation and  Ms. Thompson gives up her lunch on Tuesday and
behaviors Planning Thursday to allow stunts to eat lunch and work on
contribute to a  Teacher understanding of their math skills with her.
learner-centered individual student strengths,  Every student had to complete a quick check to make
environment? needs, and interests. sure they understood the lesson. Each quick check
  Personalization and
customization of instruction.
 Teacher understanding of
resources that promotes
student choice.
 On-going assessment and
descriptive feedback.
 Responsive small group
instruction.
Domain III – Instruction
 Connection to lesson
objective provided.
 Choices are provided for how
students gain information
and show what they know.
 Information is presented
using multiple methods to
complement text and verbal
presentations.
 Communication initiated by
both student and teacher.
 High level questioning.
 Formative assessment used to
monitor progress.
 Timely feedback that enables
students to make decisions
about learning.
 Strategy instruction
 Pacing of lesson
 Curricular Methods
Student How are students  Students are actively
acquiring, acquiring knowledge.
developing, using  Collaboration and
or producing communication are evident
knowledge, among students to facilitate
information, and learning.
skills?  Students have choice
had around five questions and Ms. Thompson wanted
the students to score a 60% or above.
 Ms. Thompson walks around and checks the students
work and lets them know if they are doing good or
need to look at the work again.
 One way Ms. Thompson encouraged students to get
their work done was to provide them with a game that
they could play after their individual work was
complete. The game was a practice of their math
skills. This made learning fun for the students.
 In her math class, each small group get one on one
time with her to go over homework and work on
practice problems or other troubles they have.
 She also constantly asks for the students to answer by
raising their hands and this helps her to get a quick
view of who may be struggling and who may be on
target.
 Ms. Thompson used a timer to keep herself and the
class on schedule.
 Ms. Thompson also provided an appropriate wait
time after asking questions to allow all students to
think about the answer.
 Ms. Thompson also called on those students who
would not raise their hand to see if they were paying
attention.
 For correct answers Ms. Thompson repeats the
student answer with emphasis.
 Students are continually doing work unless putting
away/gathering supplies and moving into groups.
 One student after working with Ms. Thompson in a
small group exclaimed “I’m going to write that down
in my notebook” after gaining information he found
valuable.
 In the advanced math group, the students had to do a
 regarding process and
product.
 Critical thinking and problem
solving are evident.
 Students engage in tasks that
require adaptability and
flexibility.
 Students show creativity and
innovation.
 Exposure to authentic, real-
world context is evident.
Technology How are students  Digital tools are used to
utilizing acquire, develop, and
technology? demonstrate knowledge and
skills.
 Digital tools are used to
enhance instruction.
 Specific web-based platforms
or applications being used.
self-reflection in their notebooks regarding two
learning statements and their feelings of acquisition
of those goals.
 During homeroom students discussed diversity and
provided examples of real life experiences and why
diversity is important.
 During the science class students gave examples of
dead cells on their bodies.
 During math students completed estimation problems
that discusses inches of rain and the amount of money
needed to buy things. Both types of problems are
relevant and known to the students.
 Each student has their own laptop for use in the
classroom.
 During the lesson the laptops are used to look over
slides that Ms. Thompson has prepared.
 The students can log into their BCPS account while
on the laptop to access materials needed for class.
 Each laptop also comes with headphones so that
students can individually listen and watch videos that
aid in their comprehension of a lesson.
 During the science class the students looked at digital
images of cells instead of microscopes. Many of the
students couldn’t see or use the microscope slides in
an earlier class due to the age of the sides and
microscopes.
 The objectives and homework and classwork are all
written down in a PowerPoint that is presented on the
Promethean board at the front of the room.
 Classwork directions are also available on the
students BCPS account.
 They can submit individual work and assessments
through their BCPS account.
 The questions of the assessments can be read to every
student through the laptop.
 Ms. Thompson used the document camera to show
the question form the students’ textbook on the board.